Under the prior art, a user or prospective consumer of a product has been extremely limited in the type of information that could be obtained regarding a product from merely observing the product itself. A person can observe the general type of the product and its overall construction and condition. However, a detailed understanding of additional product details, such as particularities in the construction, maintenance, or repair of the product or the preferred usage practices or usage history of the product, cannot be obtained merely from observing the product itself. Even for a product already owned by a user, detailed product information may be unavailable as being lost from memory or due to a loss of relevant informational materials.
Moreover, users and prospective consumers have been quite limited in the manner that information beyond the mere physical appearance of the product can be obtained. For instance, a user already possessed of a given product must either attempt to maintain product purchase and usage history and other details in memory, or the user must attempt to maintain records of the same. Understandably, therefore, most users find themselves without much product information readily at hand. Users and prospective consumers can additionally seek to obtain product details from a sales representative or a product manufacturer, but obtaining information in that manner can be exceedingly challenging, time consuming, and frustrating.
These problems have existed for time immemorial. With a knowledge of these and further deficiencies in the prior art, the present inventor has appreciated that there is and has been a need for a system and method that would permit users, prospective purchasers, and others to obtain details regarding products in an efficient and convenient manner by permitting a product itself to act as a conduit to and a provider of what effectively comprises a product identity formed by infinitely variable details, including the product purchase history, use, construction, maintenance, repair, and other details.